I love the cardinals and everytime we see them at the feeders or in a tree we just stop everything we are doing and watch them...I try to check the trees, etc. before I let the dogs out back to make sure they don't get scared away.... I love the color of the females beak...sometimes it actually seems like it is glowing, all depending on how the sun hits it. They are a shy bird here and are easily scared off even by the smallest of birds...
Great photos Sherry! I love Cardinals too, and after living here for 11 years, I finally have a pair coming to my feeder! They are almost fluorescent against the white snow, but very easily scared off.
Great photo's! We had them visit when we lived in Texas and I really enjoyed seeing them. I never did manage to get a photo of them.
I really have to sneak to the window without them noticing any movement because if they notice anything they fly off. Of course that is good for them to survive, just not to take pictures of them. Thank you Netty, 2ofus and Bernieh...
We have had a family of them almost every Spring and Summer. We have to cover the outside rear view mirrors on our vehicles to keep them from beating their poor little brains out trying to defend their territory from the other bird they see in the mirror.
toni...that is interesting. I have never had that happen but our vehicles are usually in the garage. They get scared so easily I just find it hard to imagine that beautiful bird doing that... Have you ever had other birds do it? Maybe I will have to make sure I keep my vehicle inside, they might think it is a big red bird. My car is red..
The rear view mirrors on hubbies pickup truck fold in so, when we remember to do it, they are protected but we have to cover the rear view mirrors on the car with a bag. I have heard that Robins will do it too since they also are very territorial during mating season. Last year when we first saw them pecking the mirrors I found this site.... http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/Cardinals-Windows.html Ours weren't pecking at the windows but they were giving the mirrors a good bashing trying to chase off the bird they see in it. We were afraid they would hurt their beaks or crack the mirrors as some have reportedly done.
Thank you toni...I will check out the website...we have both kinds of birds here and never noticed it at our neighbors who leave cars out all year...I did just have a hawk hit my window, I will post the pictures here when I can figure out how to find them. (I am coming in through internet explorer and my pictures don't open up like I am used to ) I thin the hawk was just chasing a small bird to have for dinner and hit the window.
